Mariah Secrest

“Googling” may be the litmus test of fame, but it is not necessarily a measure of talent. Although 25-year-old Mariah Secrest has yet to show up in but few searches for her own name (too many Ryan Seacrests and Mariah Careys) she is already forging her way into the wilderness of independent music, and the even greater wilderness of independent Christian music. With her first EP Green Light, Secrest incorporates her personal experiences, from her southern Indiana childhood to her present life in Tucson, Arizona.

Intensely personal and unadorned, Secrest occasionally comes off like the aspiring artist at your local coffeehouse. Her first track is “Green Light,” an acoustic-driven number, where minor chords create an air of mystery and suspense. Yes, the phrase “green light” refers to the traffic signal we all know and love, but it also brings to mind the momentum that builds up before a situation changes, and the energy that is released afterwards.

“It’s about the tension of knowing you can be more, but being afraid of taking those first steps. Of wrestling with a world that doesn’t always make sense and stepping out in faith anyway,” Secrest says of her inspiration. In that vein, “Green Light” features a long intro, slowly gaining momentum before breaking into a pounding verse and chorus.

“Walk Alone” is almost on the other end of the spectrum, less brooding and more girl-with-a-guitar. “This is going to be the song it took me years to write,” Secrest begins, immediately setting the stage for a story. Unfortunately, the main problem with this song is that that story is virtually inaudible; vocals are washed out by reverb, guitar, and drums. While her tone is soft and sweet and the effect is reminiscent of a Taylor Swift ballad, Secrest sounds rushed and out of breath by the time she reaches the song’s electric guitar finale.

Continuing the sample of styles approach, Secrest moves on to “Pulse,” a punk rock track that starts off steady but veers toward comatose. The weakness of the track is again the vocals; the vocal reverb effect creating a general lag that clashes with the song’s theme. While Secrest obviously has developed her own vocal style, it doesn’t lend itself to every musical style.

“Monsoon,” the true ballad of the album, is also its true standout track. Musically, Secrest excels with a simpler backdrop of acoustic guitars. Paired with basic vocal harmony, she finally allows the listener to sample her writing talents. “I don’t need a stage anyway / Tonight, I just need to have you here / To hear what I have to say.” Painted against the backdrop of her Tucson home, this song is rife with personality and insight.

In the future, Mariah Secrest’s greatest challenge will be standing out from the background, particularly her own background of blended guitar, vocals, and percussion. But on the other hand, perhaps the best argument for Green Light is that all the parts do work together, even if they don’t work so well alone. Perhaps it’s not meant to be dissected, but instead experienced as a whole.

Tagged as: Green Light EP, Mariah Secrest

↓ 3 comments

#1 Keith Mohr on December 4th, 2008 at 6:47 am

Excellent article and review!
Buy Mariah’s music from Indieheaven, she gets all 100% of the sale of her music!
When you buy her music, you support her mission!

http://www.indieheaven.com/artists/mariahsecrest

#2 Matt Conner on December 6th, 2008 at 6:39 pm

I love her brother Ryan.

#3 Elianarra on December 6th, 2008 at 7:21 pm

is her brother a musician too?

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